This invention relates to a fish line and weed cutter for a marine propeller and more particularly to an improved, simplified and easily replaceable cutter for such an application.
Various devices have been proposed for cutting fish lines or weeds to prevent their entanglement from the area around the drive shaft in the area where it passes through the lower unit. In some instances, these fish line cutters are formed integrally with either the hub or lower unit housings or are made up of integral components with either or both of these parts. Alternatively, the fish line and weed cutter may be a separable unit that is somehow affixed to the propeller or drive shaft assembly. The use of a separate piece for this purpose has the advantage that it does not add to the cost of forming the propeller and lower unit and also that it may afford a component that can be replaced if damaged without high cost. However, the fish line cutter should be rotatable with the propeller and the previously proposed arrangement of this type have been very complicated, considering the relative simplicity of the device, or have had other disadvantages.
It is well known to employ some form of resilient coupling between the hub of the propeller and the drive shaft. These resilient couplings afford some vibration damping. However, the propeller hub and drive shaft should have positive engagement in the axial direction so as to substantially fix the position of the propeller relative to the drive shaft. The previously proposed arrangements embodying separate thrust members have not been effective in permitting this positive engagement without giving rise to variations in the axial positioning of the propeller on the drive shaft depending upon the weed cutting member employed. That is, if the weed cutter is changed, the axial positioning of the propeller on the drive shaft may also change.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved and simplified weed cutter for a marine propeller that may be conveniently replaced and yet one which does not affect the axial positioning between the propeller and drive shaft.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a marine propulsion device using a weed cutter that is positioned between the propeller and thrust taking member of the drive shaft and which does not affect the spacing therebetween.